Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/296073
€0.90 WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT WEDNESDAY EDITION WEDNESDAY • 16 APRIL 2014 • ISSUE 360 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY Newspaper post Editorial - PAGE 11 CONTINUES ON PAGE 2 WEDNESDAY Busuttil's abstention betrays his political weakness – Muscat MIRIAM DALLI WITH his decision not to allow a free vote but forcing the Opposition to a vote of abstention has revealed Simon Busuttil's "political weakness", Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said yesterday. Addressing journalists at Labour's headquarters in Hamrun, Muscat also said that the government's next chal- lenge would be the decriminalisation of drugs. Although he did not delve into specifics, the Labour leader said the Cabinet would be discussing the issue shortly, "with an open mind to take an informed decision". History was written when on Mon- day evening, the Maltese parliament approved the civil unions bill and a proposal allowing gay couples to adopt. The legislation was approved with the Opposition taking of vote of abstention. According to Muscat, it was this vote that reflected the difference be- tween the two sides. "There are two categories: those who implement change and those who wait for change to happen on its own. We are proud that we work for change... We are proud to be on the right side of history," Muscat said. Historians, he said, would not be surprised at the PN's attitude given its history of opposing radical changes, Muscat said. "In the 1970s, the PN said the ma- jority were against giving women the right to vote; 40 years ago it had called for a thorough study on the social im- plications of decriminalising homo- sexuality and adultery. "It won't take 70 or 40 years to laugh at these positions this time. People know who today is on the right side of history; who truly champions Europe- an values. Ironically, it was the party who took Malta to Europe that failed the European test," Muscat said. PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD OLD habits die hard for Franco Debono, the law commissioner ap- pointed by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, as aides to justice minister Owen Bonnici have complained that the former MP is pestering the min- ister with a slew of non-stop SMS texts. Debono, a former Nationalist backbencher who confronted former Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi on several occasions for being ignored on justice reform, has now taken to sending messages to Owen Bonnici about the drawing up of new legisla- tion. In his years as a backbencher, Debono literally sent hundreds of messages to Gonzi, most of them characteristically self-centred and self-congratulatory, referring repeat- edly to his achievements. In the messages to Bonnici, Franco Debono, a criminal defence law- yer, has complained of not being informed about the government's new legislation as Commissioner for laws. Sources said that Owen Bonnici has shown consternation at the constant messaging from Franco Debono. Debono is not only law commis- sioner but has also been appointed as a consultant to the Prime Minis- ter, apart from having at his disposal a car and chauffeur. He receives at least €24,000 for his commissioner's post alone. In recent weeks, Debono was busy thanking "the thousands of people" he claimed were encouraging him to stand for the European parlia- mentary election and of having "rec- ognised him as being the heart and soul of the justice and constitutional reform". All former PN backbenchers who offered their allegiance to Labour have been handsomely rewarded. The former MP and divorce law campaigner Jeffrey Pullicino Or- lando was kept on as chairman of the Malta Council for Science & Technology, while former minister Jesmond Mugliett was appointed as a board member on the Foundation for Tomorrow's Schools and chair- man on the appeals board of the Malta Resources Authority. Debono texts minister 'non-stop' €6 million variation on Sant Antnin plant THE National Audit Office has found a €6 million variation in the improvement undertaken for the Sant Antnin Waste Treatment Plant, after it carried out an audit into pro- curement practices by WasteServ Malta, the national waste agency. Aside from reservations in de- termining value for money on project estimates, the NAO noted significant variations over changes in project design after contract awards. Variations between contracted amounts and final project costs were most pronounced in two case studies, that is, the construction of a leisure area at the Marsaskala Family Park and the improvement undertaken with respect to the Sant' Antnin Waste Treatment Plant and Material Recycling Facility. In these two cases, the recorded vari- ations amounted to approximately €600,000 (53% over the contracted amount) and €6,000,000 (23% over the contracted amount), respec- tively. CONTINUES ON PAGE 4 Franco Debono Joseph Muscat